Yes, it's been a little while since my last post (or entry... I'm still getting used to all this blog talk). I can assure you it's all been time well wasted. If it's not school or work occupying my time it's the amount of things worth going out for in February and March, namely birthdays. In fact, it really makes me wonder what everyone in the world is doing in June and July (actually it doesn't, and I will let you do the math on that to your own conclusions... anyways...!!!).
One other thing that has been occuppying my time of late is going to the gym. This is an evolution in my life that is certain to baffle most who have known me for years. The benefits of working out can not be discounted though. It's a great stress release, there are the obvious physical benefits, my heart likes me a lot more now than it ever has, and of course the most important benefit; I get a solid 90 minutes - 2 hours of time to listen to great music un-harrassed by the outside world (with the exception of tht guy who interupted a blazing mix by High Contrast last week to find out how many sets I had left on the Leg Curl machine... you know who you are!!!). It amazes me how quickly the time can fly if you are wrapped up in a Derrick Carter "Ministry of Sound" mix down, or hanging out with Underworld "Live". In fact Mark Farina regularly gets me through 15 km on a stationary bike, only to have Mylo work me over in some resistance training.
Lately though, my iPod has been feeling too familiar. I know all of these mixes. I know all of these albums. And like any work out, the routine needs to be switched up every so often to maximize it's effects on you. Enter the "BBC Essential Mixes blog".
For those who don't know, Essential Mix is a weekly series of 2 hour sessions hosted by the legendary Pete Tong on BBC Radio 1 that showcases the best DJ's from around the world flexing the latest and greatest wax for discerning legions of electronic music fans (and I'm certain it's soundtracking the late night, post club piss up at some blokes house in Cardiff). If you're like me and your schedule does not revolve around weekly television or radio shows (I think I might be in the minority here given the number of people who talk about Jack Bauer like he's a close personal friend) you need someone to put it all together for you, a place where you can peruse 10 years of great weekly shows in one glance. That's what the BBC Essential Mixes blog has done for me. With sets from the likes of High Contrast, Grooverider, Carl Cox, Laurent Garnier, and Pete Tong himself the list is long and nothing short of legendary.
One other thing that has been occuppying my time of late is going to the gym. This is an evolution in my life that is certain to baffle most who have known me for years. The benefits of working out can not be discounted though. It's a great stress release, there are the obvious physical benefits, my heart likes me a lot more now than it ever has, and of course the most important benefit; I get a solid 90 minutes - 2 hours of time to listen to great music un-harrassed by the outside world (with the exception of tht guy who interupted a blazing mix by High Contrast last week to find out how many sets I had left on the Leg Curl machine... you know who you are!!!). It amazes me how quickly the time can fly if you are wrapped up in a Derrick Carter "Ministry of Sound" mix down, or hanging out with Underworld "Live". In fact Mark Farina regularly gets me through 15 km on a stationary bike, only to have Mylo work me over in some resistance training.
Lately though, my iPod has been feeling too familiar. I know all of these mixes. I know all of these albums. And like any work out, the routine needs to be switched up every so often to maximize it's effects on you. Enter the "BBC Essential Mixes blog".
For those who don't know, Essential Mix is a weekly series of 2 hour sessions hosted by the legendary Pete Tong on BBC Radio 1 that showcases the best DJ's from around the world flexing the latest and greatest wax for discerning legions of electronic music fans (and I'm certain it's soundtracking the late night, post club piss up at some blokes house in Cardiff). If you're like me and your schedule does not revolve around weekly television or radio shows (I think I might be in the minority here given the number of people who talk about Jack Bauer like he's a close personal friend) you need someone to put it all together for you, a place where you can peruse 10 years of great weekly shows in one glance. That's what the BBC Essential Mixes blog has done for me. With sets from the likes of High Contrast, Grooverider, Carl Cox, Laurent Garnier, and Pete Tong himself the list is long and nothing short of legendary.
My sincere thanks to the person who started this blog and has taken the time to post not only the sets themselves, but the track lists that accompany each one. I would highly recommend doing a strict regimine of at least one new set a week. Just remember to stretch.
